Metro 2033: Metro 2
by WastelandStalker
Summary: With D6 in their hands, the Rangers of Polis look to secure every inch and tunnel in D6. However once a Ranger patrol goes missing another Ranger unit is sent to find them and uncover the truth about the "invisible watchers" and the legend of Metro-2.
1. Chapter 1

Metro 2033: Metro-2

By Daniel Johns

Disclaimer: I do not own the metro 2033 title and in no way am i making a profit. This is for entertainment purposes only.

Chapter 1 "New Blood."

"I love the warmth of the fire in the mourning!" Joked Pvt. Ivan Lukin of the 4th Ranger Division.

"You know you can take my job if you want." Replied Cpl. Piter Petrenko as he turned the safety on of the LPO-50 flamethrower.

"No thanks, I have enough fun shooting those things as you do burning them."

Them, nasty little things. The Rangers of Polis have set up a base in the legendry and secret government bunker of D6. They have been in the facility for a few weeks clearing out some strange fungus that has grown in the facility. The fungus spawns amoebas, that have a desire to feed. Four Rangers have been killed since they occupied the facility. The most effective way to get rid of them and the pores was with fire. Every Ranger Division stationed at D6 had been equipped with a flamethrower. Cpl. Piter Petrenko was the man in charge of using the flamethrower of the 4th Ranger Division. His best friend for eight years Ivan Lukin was covering his back in case if any amoebas snuck up behind Piter. They where the lucky Rangers selected to clear out the reactor floor which used to house the giant Biomass.

"What the hell are these things anyway?" Ivan asked.

"I am not sure actually. I believe that it was created by a bio weapon that the old government was tinkering with and with world ending they couldn't contain it." Piter responded.

"Interesting theory, definitely better than Ulman's." Ivan said.

"Look out!" Ivan yelled.

An amoeba rolled at Piter as he fell back words into the liquid water that surrounded the reactor room. The amoeba jumped into the air and almost landed on Piter which would be instant death as the acid of the amoeba's skin would burn through his armor.

PLOWSH!

The amoeba exploded inches above him. Piter looked at Ivan who had saved him by firing his silenced VSV rifle. Since you would only die by direct contact with one, Piter managed to walk away from this event.

"Shit Piter are you ok?" Ivan said with a crack in his voice.

"Yes. Damn I almost died. Thanks Ivan." Piter thanked him.

"It wouldn't have happed if I wasn't distracting you." Ivan said and helped his friend up.

"This place is a mess. Hard to believe the Colonel made it through this place without a flamethrower." Piter said.

"Petrenko, Lukin get back on the lift, the new guy is here." Said the leader of the 4th Ranger Division Sgt. Mark Kamarov, through there helmet comlink.

"Roger that, we are done here anyway." Responded Ivan.

"Ok good, hurry back up as another team is going in to clean up." Ended Mark.

"Damn, I hate rookies." Ivan said as he and Piter rushed to the elevator.

When they got back to the lift and headed up, Piter got a glimpse at what the horrors of the war did to this place. A large skeletal remains of the Biomass and the darkness of the reactor room. Things looked up when they got back into the main facility as the lights managed to get rid of every shadow and they were able to see about fifty other Rangers restoring the facility back to operational status. The main area looked like an area that use to house a missile, as it went up like a cylinder which each floor led to other cylinder like areas, working automotive monorails, armories or war rooms with fancy computers.

Their elevator stopped and they got out to be greeted by the other two rangers who are going down into the reactor room.

"Good luck down there!" Ivan chuckled.

"Ya ya ya, I just hope you guys left some for us!" The Ranger with the flamethrower said.

Piter and Ivan walked up stairs that have been checked for wear earlier ago, and met up with Sgt. Mark Kamarov and the new recruit. Piter and Ivan saluted Mark.

"At ease soldiers, you don't have to look nice for the new guy." Mark said as the two soldiers eased down. "This is Anton Gyules."

"Hello." Anton said muffled through his full Ranger gear.

"Hey Gyules you can put up the face mask." Said Mark.

"Oh, it's for protection you know, can't be too careful." Anton responded.

"Gyules? Do you have another brother in the 8th?" Ivan said.

"Yes, Boris in the 8th and Catin in the 1st actually. Both of my brothers are in the Rangers, and as the youngest I finally joined."

"The 8th is coming here to D6 so you might see your brother." Said Mark "The 1st is going north to Exhibition."

"That's good to hear." Anton said.

"Ranger team 4, get geared up in the armory and head to the situation room!" Said a man over the intercom system.

"Shit. Ok let's not keep them waiting." Said Mark.

"Looks like you are getting action on the first day rook!" Piter Joked.

"Look at all this stuff!" Anton said with excitement as they enters the armory.

Rows and rows of Klashnikov, VSV sniper rifle, KLASH 2012, automatic and double barrel shotguns, revolvers and anything that can be made in the metro.

"Piter refill your tank, Ivan get whatever you like, Anton I want you to use a Klash, its reliable and easy to use." Mark said grabbing a Klash from the wall and handing it to him  
"Yes sir." Anton said and checked the chamber. "I started out with a Bastard, the first time I went to the surface."

Piter shuttered at the sound. The surface. Piter had been there many times before. Rangers where formed out of the Old Russian Spetsnaz. When the world ended they formed the Rangers. New Rangers are hand selected by older Rangers. The only way to become a Ranger was to be a Stalker. A Stalker is a person who goes up to the surface looking for supplies to bring back. They are the considered to be the most valuable man or woman for an independent station or considered the most insane person. Either way they were crucial to the survival of the Metro and those who show true promise are accepted into the Rangers. Piter was a Stalker for two years until he was spotted.

"Well there might be one in that trash can over there." Ivan joked.

"Anton you are not going to use that pea-shooter anymore, now you use military grade equipment." Mark explained. "Load up on ammunition, all of you."

Piter filled up his fuel tanks and made sure the flamethrower was ready. He also took the liberty of taking a Klash with him. Might be extra weight but he preferred the protection. Ivan kept his VSV and Mark took the 2012, an improved variant of the Klash but had a faster rate of fire and did less damage.

"Everyone ready?" Mark asked.

"Ready!" The three said.

Piter looked at himself. He felt invulnerable in his combat armor, ammunition pouches, protective helmet and gasmask combination. His comrades looked the same which gave him more confidence. Rangers are to be the faceless soldiers guarded by the iconic helmet and combat suit that everyone feared.

"Alright let's not keep them waiting!" Mark said as they headed to the command room.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2 "S.S.D.D."

The command was large. Lights shining from the ceiling, Computers that worked and a giant tv screen showing the entire metro layout. Captain Vassii Zaitsev directed most of the major operations in D6, slouched over a table looking, at a book of D6 that was found in the great library above Polis.

"Sgt. Kamarov your here good." He said still looking at the book. "As you know we are trying to expand into D6, but still some areas are still unexplored. I sent the 6th division into a side passage leading out of D6. The problem is they haven't returned, so I am thinking they just got lost or they got ambushed by something. I sent them into a tunnel that isn't Printed on the main Metro map but it is in this book. So I believe they found the passage to Metro-2."

"Metro-2?" Ivan said. "That's only a legend."

"Metro-2?" Anton said.

"Metro-2 was a safe haven for the old Soviet Gods during the time of Ragnarok, and if the forces of evil prevail they would flee to Metro-2. Apparently another Metro system was built outside the walls of our Metro. The people in our Metro is the heard. The people who live in Metro-2 are the Shepard's. Well the story is that we gained power and scorched Metro-2, killing our Shepards. Now their bodies remain known as the "Invisible observers" or "watchers". They kidnap people in our Metro and restore them to their herd. I for one believe it's complete bullshit."

"Well soldier start believing. I believe that D6 is a part of Metro-2 and is one of the passage ways to get into the other tunnels." Captian Vassii said. "I think that our Rangers where taken by the Invisible Watchers."

"Really... sir?" Ivan said.

"Well you are about to find out. I am sending your team, Sgt. Kamarov, to find out comrades and the secrets of Metro-2."

Mark looked at his Rangers, saw the expression on both Piter's and Ivan's face. They looked shocked. Anton whose face was shielded by his mask looked excited as Marked noticed his body language.

"We are ready to deploy sir." Mark said.

"Good, go to the lift right outside and take it down all the way to the bottom. A large sealed blast door will impede your progress but enter the following code at the panel, THX-1138. The door automatically closes after five minutes so once you open it go through, you get me?"

"Yes sir!" Mark said and rallied his team members to get to the lift.

"Find our comrades and return the same way you came, another keypad is on the other side that will let you back in, use the same password.

"Well Anton your first mission is a bug hunt, what fun!" Ivan said and lowered the gasmask visor on his helmet.

"Hey Ivan knock it off." Mark said.

"Don't worry about me Ivan I can handle myself." Anton happilied responded.

The rangers got into the cramped lift and it headed down.

Ivan looked at Piter and said. "Welcome to D6, Russia's most luxurious bar and spa!"

"Ivan, shut the hell up." Said an annoyed Mark.

"So tell me about yourself Piter, you seem to be the quiet one." Asked Anton.

"I let the flamethrower do the talking." Piter replied.

"Ah, you should meet my brother, Boris, something tells me that the two of you would get a long."

"I have an idea, when we get done with this mission I say we have a get together in Polis, the vodka and girls are on me!" Ivan announced. "You like to party rookie?"

"Hell yes I can party!" Anton yelled.

"All right all of you shut it. I am trying to remember that damn password." Mark said.

"THX-1138 sir." Piter said.

"That's it, thanks Piter." Mark admitted.

"That's why you are the best sergeant in the Rangers sir! You make us use our heads!" Ivan exlaimed.

"Ivan when we get back I want you to scrub the bathrooms with your tooth brush do you got me soldier?" Mark commanded.

"Not again sir." Ivan froze for dramatic effect.

The lift finally reached the bottom and one by one they squeezed out of the door. It was black at the bottom with hardly any visible light. Only the large door with a crimson style paint stood out from the darkness.

"Look at the size of that thing!" Anton said when he saw the giant blast door.

"Old Soviet technology at its best." Mark said.

He moved over to the door pad on the right side of the door and entered the code in. A series of loud thunks eroded and a yellow siren light flashed. The door slowly opened, reviling the darkness of the side tunnel. The Rangers turned on their helmets light and it reviled a small portion the long tunnel ahead but still not enough to show more than a couple of feet from them. Piter started to shake a little. He hadn't shook before a mission since his last trip to the surface. He hid it from his comrades and pulled the flamethrower to his chest.

"Ok let's move out." Mark commanded.

"We should have brought night vision." Ivan said.

"No turning back now." Mark said.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3 "Hard Contact"

"So this is the legendary Metro-2 huh. I think the commander is on something." Mark said.

"I don't buy into folk stories sir." Ivan said.

"I don't know I think this is interesting." Anton said "Think about it, we are the only people to step through this place in twenty years."

"The only people maybe, but mutant." Ivan responded.

"Tunnel trash like Nosalises shouldn't be much of a problem and lurkers won't attack us in a group." Mark reassured.

The tunnel was still dark, and it seemed to get darker with every step. It was a plain side tunnel, concrete walls and floor and small pipes ran along the side of the walls.

"Do you guys see anything?" Ivan said a few moments later.

"Nope, I really wish we brought night vision goggles." Mark told him.

A strange sound from behind whispered into their ears, causing them to raise up there weapons. Beeps and whistles.

"It's that damn door!" Mark said.

The Rangers let their guard down and moved forward.

"You see that?" Mark asked as he crouched down aiming down his scope.

"Looks like a light." Piter said.

"Alright Piter, Anton go check it out, Ivan and I will provide covering fire." Mark said.

Ivan took a position next to Mark as Piter and Anton moved toward the faint reddish light.

"What do you think it is?" Anton asked.

"Not sure yet. An emergency light?" Piter said.

The two Rangers where several feet away from the light and as Piter predicted it was a emergency light. It was for a door that was forced opened, probably from the other Ranger Team.

"Anton check it out I am going to get them over here." Piter said.

"Right." Anton responded and moved toward the door.

Piter turned around to his fellow Rangers. He turned off and on his helmet's light three times, which was a sign to other Rangers that it was ok to move forward. The two Rangers came forward as Piter turned to see Anton missing.

"What?" Piter whispered to himself and quickly walked to the opened door.

To his relief he saw Anton kneeling down checking a dead Nosalis. Piter walked into the room. A red glow from another emergency light inside the room gave it a red color, as a few opened lockers which where forced opened and electricity boxes littered the walls as a lot of dead Nosalises and spent ammunition lied on the floor. A trail of blood lead to an airlock which was seemed to be bashed through by the Nosalises.

"I guess the 6th gave them one hell of a fight." Anton said.

Mark and Ivan entered the room.

"What happened here?" Mark asked.

"I guess the 6th got attacked by them. There are no human bodies so I am assuming they managed to fend them off and go through airlock." Piter said.

"Well if we won't get any answers here lets go through the airlock." Mark commanded.

Anton was the first to squeeze through the bashed opend hole in the airlock.

"Its clear!" He yelled to them.

After a few minutes of walking down a another side passage they found a small campfire in the middle of the passage along with two dead human bodies.

"Is it one of ours?" Mark asked.

"Its not a Ranger, bandit maybe. There are no guns though." Ivan said inspecting the body that sat leaned over to the right. "He was shot in the head from the left side, the direction we were coming from. One of ours must have shot him."

"Look at the other one." Anton said.

The second body was on his chest heading down the tunnel as about three bullet holes stained his back.

"Tried to run from a Ranger?" Ivan declared. "This is what happens as punishment."

BAM! BAM! BAM!

The sound of bullet fire cracked through the air.

"It's coming from down the tunnel!" Anton said.

"Move it! The 6th may need our help!" Mark yelled.

The Rangers dashed through the tunnel. Piter saw a pillar blocking the exit so he couldn't see where they were going. A man, who was in a dirty green t shirt and blue shorts was firing behind the pillar at an unkown target. He saw the Rangers and turned his gun toward them but Mark who was quicker, got a clean headshot off of him.

"Slow down!" Mark said.

The Rangers carefully entered the room. It was a Metro station. The station had electricity, as the lights showed the plain navy blue walls of the station. Makeshift two story housing on the rail line was destroyed by bullet holes and some where even on fire. What caught the attention of Piter was a big flag hanging on every pillar. It was the old Russian flag except a strange symbol of a circle and a large W. This was an unusual station as there were no passages that allowed one to go up to the surface. Reality caught up with Piter as he realized he was now in the middle of a firefight. His Ranger comrades took cover behind a fallen pillar. Mark scanned the battlefield. The 6th Ranger was pinned down behind the rail line on his left. They were firing at an unknown enemy on the other side of the station. The enemy looked human, however they where pale and in raggedy old jackets and jeans. They seemed to be using old AK-47.

"Reinforcements!" One of the Rangers in the 6th yelled.

The enemy looked around and then saw Piters team. They fired at them as well. The bullets cracked away at the pillar.

"We are cut off!" Yelled one man from the opposite side.

Mark rose his 2012 and fired at the enemy, his Rangers followed. Blind firing came from both sides.

"Piter use the flamethrower!" Mark yelled.

Piter readied his flamethrower.

"It's ready!" He yelled.

"Suppressive fire men!" Mark yelled.

The enemy hid in cover long enough for Piter to stand up and send an unrelenting wave of fire at them. He didn't stop until the entire tank was empty. When it was over he saw a long line of men burned to crisps. Some of the ones more far away where still alive, screaming for mercy. The Rangers shot them to end the suffering.

"Damn you guys saved our asses!" The leader of the 6th said. "Sgt. Fyodor 6th Ranger."

"Sgt. Kamarov, 4th." Mark said. "What is the situation here?"

"We were sent to investigate this tunnel. We were attacked by mutants and then met up with a scout party from these guys. They attacked us so we fired back. One managed to make it to this station and well we got cut off from the exit. I don't think that this is all of them though. They managed to get one of my men and take him off somewhere further down the rail line. I can't go after him..." Fyodor told them then pointed at his men.

Two Rangers lied dead; one seemed to have been shot in his neck the other had multiple bullet holes in his helmet.

"Ok shit. Let's get those bodies on the stations platform. Piter refill you tank, Anton and Ivan check the houses." Mark said.

After several minutes of securing the area they regrouped on the main platform and talked over their next move.

"It's settled then; Piter, Anton and I will go forward and rescue your man. Ivan and you will take your dead back to D6." Mark told the plan to everyone.

"Sound good!" Fyodor said.

"Good luck to you guys." Piter said.

"You too and keep the Rookie safe." Ivan said picking up the body of one of the Rangers.

"I will." Piter said and gave Anton a friendly push.

"We will send help as soon as we can." Fyodor said grabbing his other fallen comrade.

The rescue team watched Ivan and Fyodor until the darkness swelled them.

"Ok we got to get us a missing man to rescue." Mark said.

"Oh man, a rescue mission and we are down a man." Anton pointed out.

"You're a Ranger, I don't want any doubt that we can't do this." Mark said.

"Don't worry there isn't sir."

"Good. Piter are you refilled?" Mark asked.

"Yes sir." He responded.

"Alright let's move." Mark ordered.

The Rangers stepped off the platform, into the smoked bodies of the enemy.

"Careful, they may still be alive." Mark said.

"Doesn't look like it." Anton said.

"Did anyone notice the flag?" Piter asked.

"Yes I did. It was the old Russian flag." Mark responded.

"Did you see the symbol in the middle of it?"

"No."

"Never mind, its nothing then."

BANG!

A man knocked down the door of a cardboard house and fired a revolver. Anton fell backwards.

"Rookie!" Piter yelled and then fired his Klash at the man.

He fell dancing back and forth to the bullets. Piter turned to see Anton on the floor.

"Anton!" Piter yelled.

"I am alright!" The dazed rookie yelled.

"Jesus." Mark said and helped Anton up.

"He just grazed my helmet." Anton announced.

"Good thing you wore that." Piter said.

"Piter tourch the housing so that no more surprises will happen to us or our reinforcements." Mark ordered.

Piter readied the flamethrower and gave a short burst to the house the man came out of. The fire would spread to the other houses.

"Ok let's go find that missing man." Mark said.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4 "Abominations"

"You ok Anton?" Mark asked as Anton jumped at the sight of a rat running down the tunnel.

"Oh um, yes I am, just a little shocked about earlier." He responded.

"I need you to stay sharp."

RAWR!

A shriek from further down the tunnel caught the attention of the Rangers. Anton jerked backward.

"Nosalisies!" Piter yelled.

"Get into a line!" Mark commanded.

The Rangers formed a horizontal line and raised their weapons at the coming horde.

Nosalises like to hunt in packs, as most mutants do, and are a deadly decedent of the mole.

"Wait for it!" Mark said. "Now!"

When the creatures where at a reasonable distance the Rangers unleashed a bullet storm at the monsters. They came running at them from the ground, along the walls and even on the ceiling.

"Keep firing!" Mark shouted

"Oh man we are screwed, there must be a hundred of them!" Anton yelled.

"Don't even think about it rookie!"

"We have to get out of here!" Anton said and slowly walked back.

Click! Click! Click!

Piter unloaded his clip and pulled out another one from his pouch, but before he can load it up he saw a Nosalis tackle Mark then jump onto Anton. Piter carefully aimed his Klash at the mutant and fired it. He killed the mutant however it landed right on Anton, pinning him to the ground. Piter quickly turned back to the tunnel to see a giant Nosalis bash into him and knocking him to the floor. He landed on his flamethrowers tank, which gave a loud thunk noise. His Klash landed just out of reach. The Nosalis that tackled him didn't care for him and started to run down the tunnel. He noticed that he and his comrades where invisible to the mutants. They ran passed them, trampling over them unintentionally. They where running from something. Piter saw Mark collect himself and then pull out his Makarov Pistol.

"Stay down!" Piter yelled.

Mark glanced at him and followed it, allowing the last of the mutants to pass them. They waited for another minute, before they got up.

"They were running from something." Piter said.

"From what?" Mark said.

"Um a little help..." Anton said still pinned from the mutant's corpse.

The two Ranger assisted their comrade.

"You alright Anton?" Piter asked.

"I can't do this anymore." He replied.

"Listen to yourself coward!" Mark yelled.

"Sargent, leave him alone." Piter said.

"Did you just give me an order Corporal?" Mark's voice got a little threatening. "We were almost killed. Who knows maybe they will come runnig back? I dont want any weak links here. Anton if you don't want to go any further I will shoot you myself, right here."

"No s-sir, I am good." Anton cracked.

"Piter take point, flamethrower out!" Mark said.

Piter took point and readied his flamethrower. They must have killed twenty of the mutants, as the trail of bodies seemed endless.

"What could they have been running from?" Piter said to himself.

GRRRR.

"Hold!" Piter said and held up his hand and formed a fist.

He turned to look at Mark and motioned him to come over to him. Mark stepped right behind him and asked what the problem was.

"Don't you hear that?" Piter asked.

"No." Mark responded.

"Listen."

Mark stood silent for about a minute. He was then able to hear soft growling noises.

"The growls?" He asked.

"Yes." Piter responded.

"Anton get over here." Mark said.

"What is it?" Anton asked as he closed the gap between him and his comrades.

"Let's keep moving forward." Mark said and took point.

The tunnel was darker then the last one, Piter couldn't even see his own hand from his face. The flashlights didn't help and Piter suspected that even with night vision it would still be completely black. They walked for several minutes until they reached the entrance from to another station. The station was completely dark except for a few emergency lights that where in the far corners. The Rangers slowly looked around from the rail line. It looked just like the other station without the side houses on the rail lines. They climbed up onto the platform and took a look around. The station had an escalator in the middle of the platform that ascended up to another platform. A series of loud footsteps came from above. A large figure came into view on top of the escalator. It was big, muscular and with pale skin. It almost looked human except for the 10 ft. height, abnormal skull and large fangs. It growled and sniffed the air, and then it saw its prey.

"What the hell is that thing?" Mark said with a frightened voice.

"Oh, man, we're fucked... we're fucked! I'm getting out of here!" Anton cried and jumped off the platform and started to dash down the rail line.

BOOM!

Another one of those creatures charged through the wall of the rail line and landed right in front of Anton.

"OH SHIT!" Anton yelled as the beast picked him up with both hands and twisted his body with a cracking sound. Piter never saw a more disgusting site as the monster, who already tore the rookie's body in half, slammed the limbs into the ground.

"YOU FUCKING ABOMINATION!" Mark yelled and fired his 2012 at the beast. The bullets deflected off of its skin, ricocheting off into the walls.

The one from atop of the escalator stairs let out a loud screech and charged at the Rangers. It was incredibly fast. Piter barley managed to grab Mark and fling them out of it's way. Fourtunaley for them, the beast collided into a large fuse box that the Rangers didn't notice and it was electrocuted. The beast gave out a defining scream as it slowly descended to its knees. The stations lights flicker uncontrollably then went out. The monster didn't move. Still the second one had finished with Anton and stepped onto the platform. It saw the dead body of its companion. It gave out a thundering yell as the tiles on the walls fell from the shock wave and then charged at the Rangers. Mark tackled Piter out of the way, saving their lives. It crashed into the rail line's wall.

"Piter light it up!" Mark yelled.

Piter pulled out the nozzle on his flamethrower and let out all of the fuel in his tank to burn the beast. It screeched in pain as Mark readied a grenade and tossed it at the beast.

BOOM!

The creature body exploded into a million bits, splattering over the walls and onto the Rangers.

"Damn it!" Mark cursed.

He took off his helmet and threw it onto the floor.

"What the hell was that thing?" Mark asked. "Damn Anton."

They ran over to where the beast had crashed through and found the bloody torn up corpse of Anton.

"Shit." Mark said and inspected his dead comrade's body.

He picked up Anton's dog tag and handed it to Piter. Piter looked at it. "Anton Gyules" it said along with the Ranger insignia.

"We got to go back." Mark said. "We don't have the man power to go on and if we run into anymore of those things... How are you on fuel?"

"I have one tank left." Piter said and took off his flamethrower to refil his tank.

"Ok we will head back an-" Mark tried to finish before the sounds of foot steps filled the air.

About twenty men, armed with old rusty Kalashnikovs with flash lights attached to them, ran down the stairs.

"Freeze!" One of them yelled.

"Damn it." Mark said and raised his hands in the air, which made Piter follow.

"On your knees!" The same one yelled.

"Do as he says Piter, we are at a disadvantage." Mark told his comrade.

The two Rangers dropped to their knees and placed their hands on their head.

The enemy quickly disarmed them from their weapons and ammunition. One of the enemies looked at the burnt electrified corpse of the abomination, still in the death grip of the fuse box.

"You murdering bastards!" He cried. "That was a good man, who protected the Great Worm!"

"Man?" Mark asked.

"Great Worm?" Piter said.

The man rose his Klash and smacked it across Mark's face, making him fall over into uncounsisness. He then turned to Piter.

"The Great Worm judges all!" He yelled, took off Piters helmet and threw it across the station, and the last thing Piter saw was the butt of a Klash hitting him straight into his face.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5 "Children of the Worm"

"... Everything on this Earth was made by the Great Worm. Once the Earth consisted of nothing but stone. There was no water, no air, no light... However the Great Worm saw potential in this and declared it home."

"Then how did the "Great Worm" come to the Earth?"

"The Great Worm has always been here... Do not interrupt. He made a home for himself and through the stone you see around us, gnawed his kingdom. It was dark, so he lighted the passages of his kingdom. He relished his kingdom but he realized that no one would ever see his kingdom, so he created pigs, dogs, rats, chickens and all creatures that share his kingdom."

"His kingdom is the Metro?"

"Silence! Yes it is. The term "Metro" is what the unworthy call it. Let me finish. The Great Worm still felt alone in his kingdom, so he made man, with a thinking conciseness. He allowed man to explore his entire kingdom and make a home for themselves. This was his only mistake, as man began to lose roots to the Great Worm and believe in false Gods. This enraged the Great Worm, so he burned his world twenty years ago."

"No, we destroyed ourselves."

"Quiet or I will cut out your tongue! No he destroyed the world. Only those who believe survived, and managed to be raptured into his original kingdom. That is us!"

"Then how do you explain me? I didn't come from here, there are thousands who are still alive in your "Kingdom"."

"You lie! Yes you are not from here, and no there are no other people who live in his kingdom. People like you survived his scorching, man is stubborn like that, and attempted to find shelter in his kingdom. We are his children, we eat his enemies and celebrate that one less unworthy is in his kingdom and we are one step closer to be allowed to return to our home and rebuild under the watchful eye of the Great Worm!"

Piter opened his eyes. He was on the cold hard ground of the Metro's floor, his face ached and his body tingled, he tried to get up but his hands and feet where tied. He looked around and saw he was in a room with barley any light. He looked to where the voices came from and saw Mark sitting down next to a fire with his hands behind his back tied to a pole. A tall, skinny man stood across the fire from him. He wore a faded green cassock.

"So you believe that devouring me and my friend here will allow you to return to the surface?" Mark asked.

"Indeed. Flesh we shall consume!" The man said.

"Give me back my gear; I want to die as I lived. I am sure your god will protect you from me if I slip up."

"That will not happen. Your former clothes have been burned. Your guns stripped apart and burned. No weapons allowed in the station of the worm!"

"No guns? Then why did your people attack us with guns?"

"Those are the protectors of the Kingdom. They were given the guns before the Great Worm burned the Earth."

"So they were police, soldiers?"

"Guardians!" The man yelled.

Behind the man a door opened and in came an old man wearing another green cassock.

"Dron, the unworthy man is ready to be eaten, go join the celebration." The old man said.

"Thank you high priest!" Dron said and left the room.

The old man stopped Dron and whispered something into his ear. Dron shook his head indicating a no.

The man slowly moved to Mark and inspected him.

"Your gear made you look bigger, but you are bigger compared to the usual people who wander through our tunnels." The old man said and noticed Piter eyeing him. "Look your friend is up."

He moved over to Piter and kneeled down.

"Can you speak boy?" He asked.

"Y-yes, I can." Piter responded.

"How old are you?"

"Twenty Six."

"I can work with that. Tell me son, have you ever considered how the world was made?"

"I know how it ended..."

"Fair enough. Look around son; have you ever felt the walls of the Metro?"

"Uh."

"Of course you have. What if I told you that the world was made only from that object?"

"Unlikely, only if a certain somebody shaped it into tunnels."

The old man smiled and stood up.

"Yes, my son YES! The world was shaped, but not by man, by the Great Worm!" The old man said.

"Great Worm?" Piter pretended to play coy.

"Yes the creator of the Metro, the World! He is the one who made your ancestors and gave them life after the end of the world. You are twenty six, twenty years in the Metro, six years living like a sheep. Don't you see? You were only six, you were innocent, didn't know the corruption of the world. The Great Worm will allow you to live. Unlike your friend over there, he has been corrupted by the old world."

"Bullshit!" Mark yelled.

"Join us, the Children of the Worm, and live in peace." The old man said.

"I... I believe you!" Piter said. "If there is a God, why would he end the world? He would do it to purify it! Hail the intelligent Great Worm!"

The old man pulled out a knife and crouched down.

"You my child are welcome into his Kingdom." He said and cutted off the ropes that trapped Piter.

"Piter, you can believe him!" Mark pleaded.

The old man helped Piter to his feet.

"Silence! You are not worthy to talk to our newest family memeber." The old man said.

"Mister?" Piter asked.

"Yes my child?" The old man turned to Piter only to be greeted by a fist.

He dropped to the floor, landing on his chest and dropped the knife. Piter picked it up and ran over to Mark.

"Smart thinking, Piter. Damn you had me convinced." Mark said.

"Great Worm?" Piter scoffed. "How can you believe in that?"

He cutted the rope from Mark and helped him up.

"Alright we need to get out of here!" Mark commanded.

He moved to the door that Dron left through and quietly opened it. One guard was stationed at the end of the hall.

"Piter take him out." Mark whispered and stepped aside to let Piter get ahead.

With every inch closer Piter heart beaded faster. What if he turned around? The man was armed with an AK 47. He could just easily turn and fire at the Rangers. Then before he realized it he was right behind the guard. Piter quickly grabbed his head, muffling his mouth and ramming the knife into his throat. The man gave out a disgusting grunt and slowly subsumed to death. Piter dragged his body back into the dark hallway as Mark picked up his AK. He checked it for ammo then told Piter to catch up. They seemed to be at an intersection but with the right and left passage collapsed the only way were forward to another door. Mark took point and when they reached the door Mark opened it.

"Oh shit." He said.

Piter saw why quickly. About forty people, men, woman and children, stood before them. They where having a celebration: a big long table in the center of the station, housing on the rail lines and stairs ascending up to more housing. They didn't notice the Ranger at first, but a child alerted his mother, who cried out for help.

"Guards!"

"They broke free!"

"Get the children in doors!"

Some men ran toward the Rangers but halted when Mark raised the Klash at them.

"What's are next move?" Piter almost yelled.

"I don't know... I don't know." Mark responded.

BAM BAM BAM BAM BAM!

Gunfire busted out at the other side of the station, and shots richoched at the walls near them. More screams from the crowed engulfed the station. Mark then shot his gun at the crowed, killing the men who tried to catch them.

"Back inside!" Mark yelled and pushed Piter back into the hallway, then quickly shut the door.

"Looks like were sandwhiched!" Mark said.

"Maybe not." Piter reassured for he had an idea. "That cult leader is still in the other room. If he is as high ranking as I think he is then we can bargain with them, him for our safe passage through."

Mark nodded and the two went straight back to the room.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6 "What we have become"

"Get up!" Mark demanded.

The old man grunted awake.

"Wha- what, where am I?" He said.

"I said get up!" Mark yelled, lifted him up and pushed him to Piter who grabbed him and held him with the knife ready to slit his neck.

"You are going to be insurance. Ok Piter you know what to do?" Mark asked.

"Yes." Piter said and forced the old man to the door.

"Open it." Piter said and letted one of the old man's hand free.

BANG!

The door was bashed opened, knocking Piter and the old man backwards to the floor. Piter was forced to close his eyes as a bright flashlight blinded him.

"Piter is that you?" A familiar voice said.

Piter opened his eyes and saw that the man was Ivan.

"Ivan, how did you?" Mark said as Ivan helped Piter up.

"I am not a total failure sir." He joked. "I brought the Calvary to."

Two Rangers entered the room. They didn't wear the standard Ranger gear but instead they were in big bulky heavy armor suits with large metal shields and small Klashnacov carbines. One of them even had a flamethrower with them.

"Sargent Kamarov, I am Sargent Yuri Gluckhovsky of the 12th Ranger Division." Yuri said.

"Glad you came when you did." Mark said.

"Your comrade came to us with the sarge of the 6th, thought you could use reinforcements. Ran into a group of Nosalises but we where ready for them. What got my attention was a big looking creature smoked to a crisp by some electric box. I assume it was you're doing, because it was still smoking."

"Alright where is he!" Another Ranger entered.

He was clearly the most muscular and tallest of them as he had to lower his head to get through the door. While he wasn't as tall as that abomination he clearly stood a foot taller over Piter's 6ft height.

"Calm down Gyules!" Yuri said.

"Where is my brother Anton?" The man yelled.

"Damn." Mark said to himself.

"Boris?" Piter said.

The man turned from Mark to Piter. Piter could tell that the man's face was turning red with anger.

"This is yours..." Piter said quietly and pulled out Anton's dog tag.

"Oh my, h- he's dead?" Boris said and slowly grabbed the dog tag. "It was his first mission... There is no God left."

"Hey guys!" A ranger came running into the room. "They are coming back!"

"Shit how are we on ammo?" Yuri asked.

"Not enough." The Ranger said.

"Wait, the man!" Piter said.

"That's right!" Mark said.

"Man?" Yuri said.

Piter grabbed the old man and forced him to his feet.

"This man is their leader!" He said.

"That's good then, we can use him to escape!" Yuri said. "Ok I want everyone with shields to form a defensive line, Piter stay behind us and make sure that they clearly see him. Sargent, you and Ivan take give us support fire in case they decide to shoot us."

Boris sealed his brothers dog tag, cracked his knuckles and flung his riot shield to his chest.

"Ready!" he said.

"Oh hey Piter, put this on in case they have good shooters." Ivan said and handed him an extra helmet.

Piter shoved it on and grabbed the old man.

The Rangers quickly went back into the station. As Piter stood behind the line of Rangers, he noticed that the station was completely destroyed by gun fire. The station was quickly drowned by multiple people, angry people, shouting and yelling at them and ready to swarm them. The aggression stopped when Piter came into view with the old man they quieted.

"They have our leader!" One shouted.

"Let him go!" A woman cried out.

"We will let your leader go in exchange for safe passage!" Yuri yelled out behind his shield.

Silence ruled the station.

"For the Great Worm!" A man cried out as armed men pushed through the crowed and fired at the Rangers.

"Fire!" Yuri ordered.

The Rangers opened up from behind their shields with their submachine guns, killing people and guards in the crowed.

"Shift left onto the tracks!" Yuri said.

Machine gunfire popped from both sides. The Rangers immediately got onto the rail line and was still being pounded by fire. It got intense as the Rangers slowly backed up into the tunnel. Through the gunfire and faceless Rangers, Piter couldn't tell who was yelling.

"Three on the right!"

"In the arch, in the arch!"

"Damn that flew right in front of me!"

"Stop, stop!"

"Reloading!"

"Look!"

"What is it?"

"Barricade right behind us!"

Piter turned the around with the old man. About twenty feet away a large barricade blocked there path.

"Damn, wait no one is there!"

"Keep going back hurry!"

Piter quickly dragged the old man to the barricade. It was full of debrie that could be easily pushed away.

"Cover me!" Piter said and threw the old man to the ground and tore at the barricade. "Ivan watch the man!"

"I got him!"

"Keep firing!"

"Wait stop!"

"What for?"

"Don't you see it? It's a white flag!"

"I see it. Maybe they will listen to us now."

Piter stopped bringing down the barricade and turned around to see what was happening.

The Rangers flash lights lit up the enemy who blocked off the other side of the tunnel.

Yuri stood out of rank and yelled to the enemy "We have your leader. Allow us to leave and we promise safe return of him!"

"Zero reaction." Boris said.

"Piter the barricade." Mark whispard. "Ivan help him."

Ivan and Piter slowley took out the barricade.

"Mark bring the man up here." Yuri said.

Mark lifted up the man and pushed him to Yuri who placed him in front of the Rangers.

"We have your leader!" Yuri yelled.

"We got it!" Ivan said as he and Piter brought down the last piece of wood that allowed them to squeeze through.

"Ok." Yuri said and pushed the old man back to Ivan and Piter. "You guys go through; the rest of us will cover you."

Ivan quickly went through the barricade.

"No don't go back there, it's blocked for a reason!" The old man yelled.

"Shut it and move!" Piter demanded and shoved the man through the opening.

Piter inspected the tunnel ahead, dark and quiet.

"It's clear!" He called to his fellow Rangers.

"They will disturb the Great Worm, shoot them!" Someone yelled.

More gun fire broke at the barricade. Mark quickly went through the hole, followed by Yuri, Boris and the Ranger with the flamethrower. The last Ranger was about to squeeze through before he let out a disgusting grunt and fell face first to the ground. His comrades dragged his body through the barricade and inspected him.

"He is gone." Boris said.

"Sargent Kamarov, grab his shield and let's go." Yuri said.

Mark grabbed the riot shield and looked through a hole in the barricade made by a bullet. About twenty men rushed to the barricade.

"Run!" Mark yelled and this inspired everyone including the old man, with some motivation by Piter, to run. They dashed through the dark tunnel for several minutes until they reached another station. It looked similar to the other stations, navy blue tiles on the pillars and no way up to the surface. The lights did not shine in this station. He realized that these may have been check points in the tunnel or that they were intentionally left with no way to the surface.

"We can rest here, I want to get more information about our hostage." Yuri said.

The Rangers dug in with Boris and the flamethrower Ranger looking at the tunnel they came from so they know they wouldn't be chased. Piter and Ivan looked around the empty station, while the two sargents interrogated the old man.

"Don't waste your time looking down that tunnel, they wont follow." The old man said not looking at the two Rangers.

"Why not, they seem persistent." Yuri said.

"They believe it is the resting ground for their God."

"Don't tell me, that giant worm?" Mark said.

"Giant worm?" Yuri asked.

"This man is a cult leader, convicted all those people that a worm god made the Metro."

Yuri looked at the old man with great curiosity.

"Wait a moment... I know who you are." Yuri said.

Mark looked at him with a skeptical look.

"You should know to Mark; he is our own president of Russia, Dmitry Medvedev."

Mark looked at the man. It was indeed the former president of Russia.

"I am surprised I didn't notice before." Mark said.

"Tell me mister President, how did you manage to trick a bunch of people into believing in a giant worm." Yuri said with a funky tone to his voice.

"Sir, someone is coming!" Boris yelled.

"Stop don't shoot!" Someone cried in the darkness of the tunnel.

"Get on your knees!" The Ranger with the flamethrower commanded. The Rangers turned their attention to the man.

He was a skinny man wearing a cassock like Dmitry.

"That's that guy who was telling me about the worm." Mark said.

"Dron is that you?" Dmitry yelled.

"High priest, yes it is me, are you ok? Dron replied.

"Shut up, Boris subdue him and bring him onto the platform." Yuri said.

Boris, who stood about two feet taller than the man, grabbed the man and dragged him onto the platform.

"High priest I am glad I found you, thank the Great Worm!" Dron said.

"Enough about this worm!" Yuri scoffed. "How many more morons followed you?"

"Morons?" Dron questioned. "No, you are the "moron" the Great Worm is truth. The Great Worm will return and we will rebuild his kingdom! He will devour you all. You will all be left in the dark, forced to live the remainder of your days being tortured, in his digestive system for a thousand years!"

"Tell me then, where is this worm located?"

"Down the tunnel you are heading. It is his resting place!"

"Well I say we greet the Great Worm with our automatic weapons." Yuri said and cocked his Klash.

"I will not continue any further." Dmitry said.

"Master, you are a priest for the Great Worm, he will save you and me." Dron said.

"Shut up fool, there is not Great Worm." Dmitry said in a stern voice.

"Wha- what?" Dron's eyes grew big. "Teacher, tell me the truth, you are misleading them... You lie to them so that they don't fear the tunnel ahead. There is a Great Worm, please, tell me there is."

Suddenly Dron stated sobbing and rocking his body back and forth. Piter felt un easy and wanted to comfort him, Dron was told that his beliefs was a lie, until his senses came back to him that Dron was still the enemy who cannibalized people including his fellow Ranger.

"No! No! No! The Great Worm!" He cried.

Yuri pulled out a revolver and fired it at Dron's head.

"Mister President, you are a, sick, sick man." Yuri said and blew away the smoke from his gun.

"I did what I needed to do." Dmitry said.

"What was that exactly?" Mark asked.

"To protect them from the horrors of the outside world."

"How did you manage to brain wash hundreds of people to worship a worm?"

"That was easy, once the bombs fell we fled into the tunnels under the Kremlin. People where scared. My influence convinced them that the world was not over. We could rebuild. It wasn't hard to convince them that there was still a God. Any kind of God"

"Some people had to say that you were crazy." Yuri interrupted.

"Of course. I didn't influence them over night, but when the food got scarce and we resorted to cannibalism, I made sure the right people where sacrificed first."

"Listen I don't want to hear about this right now, you can tell the scholars at Polis while you are being interrogated, we have to move on."

"No I refuse to continue on." Dmitry announced.

"And why not?"

"The next station is where the Kremlin is located."

The Rangers looked at each other. The Kremlin was believed to be a mythical location. It housed the Old Russian government before the war. The legend was that the towers of the Kremlin where cursed. One glance at the star on the very top of the Kremlin, you would be hypnotized and walk into the heart of the Kremlin. Rangers and Stalkers would never return, that is why the Rangers never go to the surface alone, as one could be broken from the trance if his friend would shove him away from the direction of the Kremlin.

"I am tired of these legends. We are Rangers, protectors of the the Metro, we will go forward and clear our way through the Kremlin!" Yuri rallied.

"You can go there!" Dmitry yelled. "I will not go with you, leave me here!"

"Yeah right, you think I will let you go back to your people, lead them to eat more of us." Yuri scolded.

"Wait a minute sir." Piter came forward. "Look at him. He has never ventured passed his own stations. They have no connection to the outside world, besides some unlucky adventurer. How would he know the story of the Kremlin?"

"Because I was there when it happened!" Dmitry yelled. "When the warning sirens filled the air and the people in the Kremlin fled to the Metro. The Kremlin was not hit by a nuclear weapon but by a more nasty invention. I know not what it was, biological weapon maybe, but it was alive and ate my politicians. That is where I got the worm from, as it ate the survivors who stayed underneath the Kremlin. I ran with my subortants and other survivors and founded the station, where you captured me, and so on."

"What about those giant men who attacked us?" Mark asked.

"If you asked me yesterday I would of said they were gifts from the Great Worm, today I would tell you they were once men, who came from the tunnel from the Kremlin. Radiated freaks. They were still subordinate and loved us, they protected us."

"Enough!" Yuri yelled. "If this passage leads to the Kremlin we will deal with anything in our path, everyone sticks together and nothing can break us."

"You will have to shoot me, I will not return to the Kremlin!" Dmitry yelled out before Yuri fired a round straight into his face.

"Alright men, let's go see this Great Worm with our own eyes!" Yuri joked and took lead down the tunnel to the Kremlin.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7 "Old World Horror"

"Why do the stars of the Kremlin attract people?" Piter asked as they strolled through the dark tunnel.

"The legend goes that the Kremlin makes people see what they want to see." Ivan said. "It just that everyone wants to see the Kremlin, to see the holy of holies still intact."

"I don't understand." Piter atmitted.

"It is a really hard topic, and not even I know how to explain it."

"What happened to it?"

"I don't know either, your cannibal friends did though. Maybe a biological weapon. They didn't notice it right away, or sound the alarm, because once they noticed what was happening, it already consumed everyone in the Kremlin, including the people in the neighborhood."

"You sound like you were there."

"Do I? No I heard the story from a trader who claimed to be there when it happened."

"Quiet you two." Yuri interrupted.

The tunnel ended and they found themselves in a station. This one, unlike its unnamed cousins, sported crimson color tiles and green marble floor. The station was dark as the flashlights from the Rangers faded down into the station. However the station had light, red emergency lights still glowed with power. The Rangers climbed onto the platform and carefully checked the arches, benches and other abandoned accessories for any hint of a trap, or mutant. This station was the end of the line as the rail line that they traveled on ended at the opposite side of the station.

"Where to now?" Ivan asked as they regrouped at the center of the platform.

"Well we are not going back, so the only way is up." Yuri said.

"Great, right into the frying pan."

Yuri led them to the staircase, "Everyone keep your masks on!"

Mark putted on the gasmask he had acquired from his fallen comrade. The rest of them where fortunate enough to have protective head gear. Yuri was the first to step onto the staircase, followed by Mark, Boris, the unnamed Ranger, Ivan and then Piter. With every step the stairs gave out a loud squeak or completley collapsed into themselves. The stairs where blocked by a large golden door, which served as an airlock for the Metro. Yuri slowly opened it and entered the outside world. Piter slowly crept up the stairs as the walls parted, and he ended up in a marble hall. The room with faded red paint and cobwebs and dust supported a high dome like ceiling. The Rangers walked down the hall, paintings of Lenin standing over a crowd of people who cheered for him, soldiers in outdated uniforms and Russian families living in peace. When they reached the end of the hall, Piter felt uneasy. Yuri opened the golden door and entered as the Rangers followed. Piter, being the last to enter, turned around to shut the door. He saw a large figure standing running straight at him. He recoiled and slammed the door. Waiting a few seconds for a loud thunk but nothing happened. Was it just his imagination?

He turned around and looked at the room. It was a large square room, with carpeting and paintings. Large chandlers complemented the tall ceiling that was supported by large pillars. Faded out tables and chairs littered the room. Tinted windows blocked out any natural lighting from the already dark sky. A collapsed large pillar near them, and damaged ceiling showed them the grey darkness of the sky above. Across from them a staircase led into another part of the Kremlin, however the path was blocked, once the Kremlin's dark secret reviled itself. Piter saw a blackish brown, dirty, oily, alive creature slowly crawl into the room from the stairs. It looked like multiple pieces of human flesh and skin combined into one creature.

"What the hell is that?" Yuri said.

"That looks like the Biomass that was sitting in the reactor room of D6!" Ivan said.

The creature spreaded freely among the floor, making strange and revolting noises, and opened a monstrous jaw that had rows of sharp teeth. The Creature wasn't on Piter's mind as he noticed that above the monster, through a broken window on the ceiling, the Kremlin star rose for all to see.

"Piter run!" someone yelled as a gloved hand slapped him on the side of his helmet.

His legs would not move, a flash of conciseness was extremely short.

"What's wrong with him! Pull him!"

"Mother of God. It's already come out!"

"To me, to me! That is an order or I will shoot!"

"Damn it, Piter climbs the pillar!"

"Lift him up... I got him!

"What is he looking at!"

"Look above!"

"The star!"

"Tighten it up!... Don't look. Don't look there... do- ook-... its beautiful."

Mark climbed up onto the pillar that his fellow Rangers used as a mean to escape the monster, and looked at his Rangers. They were all sitting down in crossed legs and looking up. Mark quickly and slowly glanced at the window above and saw the pole that he remember held the stone made Kremlin star. Looking back at his Rangers he saw that they were lost in the hypnotic powers of the star.

"Guys don't look." He cried out standing in front of the Rangers. "Don't look damn it!"

They simply leaned out of his path to glance at the star. Mark started to shake Piter, trying to get his friend back.

"Piter, wake up!" He yelled.

"It calls me." Piter said happily.

"Good, speak boy! Speak!" Mark said. "Ivan how are you holding up?"

"It calls me." Ivan said and started rocking back and forth mumbling a song.

Mark thought that if he managed to get there minds off of the star and focus on the monster. In fact, he glanced back at the monster who was sitting at the bottom of the pillar trying to gnaw it's way up to them.

"Sing! It wants us to sing!" Mark asked.

No one responded, which made Mark feel uneasy.

"Here join me!" Mark said. "United forever in friendship and labor, our great mighty republics will ever endure!"

"The Great Soviet Union will live through the ages. The dream of the people their fortress secured." Yuri joined in.

"Yes don't give up!" Mark stood up and cried out.

"Long live our Soviet Motherland, built by the people's mighty hand!" Boris said and joined Yuri.

"Long live our people, united and free!" The unnamed Ranger joined his comrades.

Then silence. Mark realized that Piter and Ivan where too young to know the song.

"Stand up!" Mark said and lifted Piter and Ivan to a standing position.

"It calls me!" Boris said.

Mark turned to him quickly to see the bear of a man fall forward into the creature below.

"Shit!" Mark said.

Boris fell into the hungry quagmire below, no screaming, no sounds of intense pain. Just low chewing and chomping noises. Yuri and the Ranger continued to sing the hymn of the old song, but Piter and Ivan quickly rushed to the edge of the pillar to see Boris find peace with the beast. Piter envied Boris and was about to go before Mark quickly grabbed him and pulled him back.

"Well it's my time to go!" Ivan yelled.

"Goodbye my comrade!" Piter said.

Ivan jumped off the pillar and landed right on top of the monster who swallowed him whole.

"IVAN!" Mark yelled out.

Piter, who was rather jealous of his friend, pushed off Mark and walked back to the edge. He didn't see his friend at all, as he was already being consumed by the monster, and slowly realised that Ivan wasn't there, not on the pillar or on the monster.

"Ivan?" Piter said looking around the pillar. "Where is Ivan!"

"Piter?" Mark said.

"Mark where did Ivan go?" Piter said and noticed he used Mark. "I mean sir!"

"Thank you God, Piter you are back to normal!" Mark shouted with joy.

"Back to normal?" Piter asked.

"You looked at the star, everyone did, Ivan tried to go to it but he, the monster..."

Piter looked at the monster for any sign for his friend.

"Through days dark and stormy!" Yuri said.

"Where great Lenin led us!" The other said.

"Our eyes saw the gre-" Yuri said before Mark threw him to the floor of the pillar.

"Wake up!" Mark shouted

Yuri's eyes, that looked as grey as the dust around them, came back to a greenish color.

"Where am I?" He asked as Piter tackled the Ranger with the Flamethrower.

"Yuri, you all looked at the Kremlin's star. Boris and Ivan jumped into the creature's mouth." Mark said.

The other Ranger came through.

"Shit where am I?" He asked.

Piter helped him to his feet as Mark and Yuri inspected the monster. Yuri shot more bullets into which disappeared into the creature.

"Nothing!" Mark said angrily then noticed Yuri had a grenade. "Maybe a grenade?"

"I don't want to use it, no telling how fragile these pillars are."

"How about the flamethrower?" The Ranger asked.

"Yes, use it, give it a try!" Yuri said.

The Ranger turned on the flamethrower and after pointing the nossle at the beast, let out a long dirty orange flame that struck the creature. After a long screech and gallons of fire being emitted onto the it, the abomination started to retreat into the corner and shrink.

"It's leaving!" Yuri said.

"The stairs!" Mark yelled.

The stairs that the monster guarded was clear.

"Follow me and hurry!" Yuri said and he jumped off the pillar as the Rangers followed.

The monster gave out a graveyard howl and with a thunderous grumble stretched its head and with sharp teeth grabbed the Ranger with the flamethrower. It was unexpected so he gave out no sign of pain. Yuri stopped at the stairs to let Piter and Mark go. He pulled out the grenade and as the monster finished the Ranger and looked at him, he threw it at the monster, who swallowed it whole. Piter heard a loud explosion as he steped onto the castle walls of the Kremlin. He turned around to see the dome structure collapse and dust fly out of the staircase.

"Yuri!" Piter said.

Mark stopped and turned to his comrade.

"We have to go!" He called.

"Why so fast?" Yuri came out of the dust and pushing it off nochalonley.

"I thought we lost you." Piter said.

"I wouldn't miss a chance to see the Kremlin." Yuri said.

Piter turned from the castle wall and looked into the courtyard of the Kremlin. It was as if the war never happened. It looked clean with its tile floor; unscratched buildings and plants covered in snow like it was during the winters of the old world? When one turned around you would see the destroyed city of Moscow, grey, ashes, snow, and ruined buildings and cars.

"Ok lets try to find a way off this wall." Yuri said.

They walked along the crimson stone wall of the Kremlin until Mark saw the Great Library.

"Happy day, never would I thought to be so happy to see that cursed Library!" He exclaimed.

The Great Library was right above the Polis stations and was guarded by ape like creatures called Librarians but luckily the Rangers didn't need to transverse the Library. Piter looked down the Kremlin wall.

"You think we can jump down?" He asked.

"Give it a try." Yuri said.

Piter climbed over the side of the Kremlin wall and dropped down onto the streets of Moscow. He gave a loud grunt as he landed on his fell then fell over on his back.

"You OK?" Mark asked.

Piter sat up and stretched. Then he looked up and yelled, "Yes, I am alright."

Yuri and Mark climbed down the wall and fell in a similar fashion as Piter. They collected themselves and readied there weapon.

"Here Piter." Mark said and threw Piter a Makarov Pistol.

Piter checked it then readied to fire. No one knows what horror could pop out at them. He looked at the path ahead. It was a large grass field with destroyed trees, shrubs and snow that cover the grass.

"We just need to clear this court yard and we will be home free!" Yuri said.

A wolfish howls from behind attracted there attention.

"Watchers!" Yuri said.

Watchers are another horror that spawned from the ashes of the apocalypse. They were large harry creatures, and hunted in packs.

"Run!" Mark yelled.

The Rangers rushed across the court yard and the sounds of multiple footsteps followed. Piter glanced back and saw a Watcher following close behind. He turned and fired as the beast multiple times before it tripped over and died. Then he ran like a mad man toward the end of the court yard.

"Just a little bit further!" Yuri assured.

They were just across the Great Library, a large gorge of radioactive water and rubble separated the Library from Polis. The Rangers quickly took right and ran down a dirt path and then stopping suddenly.

"Shit the side path has collapsed!" Yuri shouted.

"What now?" Mark yelled turning around to see the watcher rush at them.

"I know that there is a man hole that will lead us through the gorge through a pipe so we should be protected from the radiation."

With suppressive fire the Rangers rushed toward an open manhole and crawled through. Mark was the last one in and watched their back in case any of the Watchers followed them. They crawled through the sewer tunnel that had a greenish light emitting from radioactive fungus. Piter Heard the Watchers following and encouraged Yuri to move faster. A moment later Yuri climbed out of the man hole, followed by Piter and Mark. Piter saw the stations entrance, just one escalator to go and they were home free! Piter quickly rushed down the steps like an Olympic runner and found himself at the cold airlock of Polis station. Yuri and Mark came from behind and Yuri pounded at the airlock shouting, "Sargent G, open up!"

A yellow lite lit up the stations entrance. Piter knew that in a couple of seconds he would be home. A graveyard howl shuttered him as watchers descended from the staircase. The Rangers fired at the mutants, making every shot count. If the door didn't open soon they would be swarmed. More hairy black beasts rushed down into the stations entrance.

"Fire, damn it!" Yuri shouted.

"I am out!" Mark yelled.

A beast tackled him and Piter rushed to his rescue by grabing the mutant and will all his might flung the beast off of him. Piter fell to the ground and the beast turned his attention to Piter. It jumped on him and gnawed his mask off. Piter couldn't breathe right as his vision blurred and his eyes watered. His arms and legs stiffed and he was frightened that his would be killed right there. It went in for the kill, only to be killed by a hail of bullets. The stations door opened and a fire team of Rangers rushed out armed with shields and silenced VSV. Piter felt somebody grab him and dragged him into the station. He saw three Rangers step into the stations entrance rescuing Mark and Yuri. Then another team of five rushes into the entrance firing at the monsters and climbing the escalators to finish the horde.

The stations doors closed and Piter realized that he was back at home, Polis, the Metro. He looked at his fellow Rangers, who plunged into the legendary side tunnels of D6 and realized that the worst was yet to come. Piter stood up stretched his body and shook both Mark and Yuri's hand.


End file.
